This archive report was first published on 22 July 2019.
On July 22, 2019, Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki urged Kenyans to adopt a healthier lifestyle by reducing their consumption of red meat. This advice comes in the wake of the red meat crisis in Nairobi and Machakos.
According to Kariuki, eating traditional foods such as cassava and arrowroots can help in the fight against non-communicable diseases in the country. She emphasized the importance of moving away from a diet that consists mainly of red meat and towards a more vegetable-based diet.
“From a health point, we are being encouraged to move away from this kind of diet; that every day for Kenyans is nyama choma or red meat that you have boiled. We are being encouraged to move more towards a more vegetable-based diet as it were for a long time,” Kariuki is quoted.
The CS also noted the need to be mindful of the food we buy and how we treat it. She called on County public health officers to conduct routine inspections of foods being sold and to avoid the use of sulphite on meat.
Additionally, Kariuki emphasized the importance of taking care of the environment by avoiding the burning of rubbish near residential places, as the smoke can bring health challenges.
